German technology company Inartec has received €6mn ($6.4mn) in funding through an innovation programme supported by the country's environment ministry to build a large-scale power-to-liquid (PtL) plant in the Frankfurt Hochst industrial estate.
The plant will produce up to 2,500 t/yr of synthetic fuels — or e-fuels — from CO2 and green hydrogen, which can replace fossil jet fuel, gasoline or diesel.
Green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis of water, which requires green electricity to split the water into hydrogen and oxygen. For the Hochst plant, hydrogen which is produced on site as a side product from chemical processes will be greened through purchase of renewable guarantee of origins (GO) which represent renewable electricity.
Germany will introduce a blending quota for synthetic fuels in aviation — a PtL quota — of 0.5pc in 2026, rising to 1pc in 2028 and 2pc by 2030.
